Making your home disaster kit

The American Red Cross recommends that every family should have enough supplies on hand to sustain themselves for a minimum of three days without food, water, or transportation.

The question each of us needs to ask is: If I suddenly find myself and my family unable to travel, without power and water and cut off from society; would my home disaster kit provide a level of comfort and safety at least minimally acceptable.

 The Following supplies should be kept in an easily accessible place:

• Flashlights with extra batteries (one of the flashlights should be of the windup variety)
• Hand crank radio
• 50’ of plastic sheet and duct tape
• 150’ of light rope
• 3 gallons of water per person
• Emergency rations, assume 1500 to calories per person per day
• First aid kit (if possible stick the kit with extra antibiotics and pain killers)
• Portable cook stove
• Iodine zed salt
• Water filter
• Toilet paper, soap and hygiene items such as eye solution for contacts feminine products etc.
• Sleeping bags and blankets
• Copies of important family documents in a water bottle or other watertight container
• Pocket knife with can opener
• Cell phone charger
• Stash of silver coins

The most important part of your disaster kit is to know what to do and have a plan for staying safe and healthy. This means planning for food shelter and water and making sure your family understands the plan.